Flushing systems for discharging materials from receptacles



1952 c. F. ROSENBLAD 3,064, ,7'26

FLUSHING SYSTEMS FOR DISCHARGING MATERIALS FROM RECEPTACLES Filed Oct. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l /5 I /6 9 /9 {6 a f g u E I INVENTOR. CUR r FREDR/K Ross/v54 A 0 1962 c. F. ROSENBLAD 3,064,726

FLUSHING SYSTEMS FOR DISCHARGING MATERIALS FROM RECEPTACLES Filed (kit. 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. QT RED UK ROSENBLAD ATTORNEK $664,723 Patented Nov. 20, 19%2 fine 3,354,726 FLUSHIING SYSTEMS ran DHSQHARGEQG MATE- RTALS FREE/T REEPTALES Curt Fredrih Rosenbiad, Princeton, N.J., Rosenblad Corp, 1279 6th Ave, New York Ztl, N.Y.) Filed Get. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,699 3 Claims. (Q. 1-52-2) This invention relates to flushing systems for discharging solid materials held in liquid suspensions from receptacles containing the same. More particularly it is concerned with such systems wherein dilution and discharge are carried on together.

For the purposes of illustrating the invention, the same will be shown and described in connection with the discharge of the pulp stock from a blow pit, or tank, into which tank pulp is introduced for washing after cooking. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited by this illustrative example, rather, the apparatus has application in other fields of activity. Thus another example would be in the chemical industry wherever there is a problem of discharging the contents from big tanks, particularly where those contents are materials of a sludge retained in suspension.

Heretofore, the usual manner of discharging the stock from a blow pit after washing has been by the manual operation of sluicing, using a water hose operated from the top of the tank. This is a tedious and labor consuming operation, but one for which industry has not heretofore found a satisfactory substitute.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide for the mechanical discharge or flushing of the stock from a blow pit.

Another object is to provide for such discharge in simple and effective manner.

Still another object is to provide mechanically operable flushing apparatus for blow pits which can be readily installed in existing pits or tanks.

A further object is to provide such flushing apparatus which can be economically combined with new tank constructions.

A still further object is to provide such apparatus which serves to assist in the washing as well as acting to flush out the contents of the tank.

Still further objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompany drawing proceeds.

In that drawing:

a FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a blow pit equipped with discharge apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal Section of a blow pit as in FIG. 1, in which the flow paths of the stock have been diagrammatically illustrated.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the flow control, srufiing box and drive elements as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on lines 44 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged part sectional, part elevational view of a single nozzle discharge element as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the drive mechanism for the flushing mechanism of the invention, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary part sectional, part tank 1 has a cylindrical side wall 2, a top or cover 3, a bottom 4-, and a strainer bottom 5. The bottom 4 is illustrated as being positioned on suitable supporting members 6 mounting it on the ground or floor surface 7 while the strainer bottom 5 is shown as being mounted'above the bottom 4 by members 5.

The pulp stock enters the tank through the blow line 8 which extends through the upper portion of the side wall 2. Vapor liberated from the stock as it flows into the tank 1 leaves through the vomit stack 9 which extends through the cover 3 and upwardly with respect to the same. The strainer bottom 5, which forms in effect a false bottom for the tank, is perforated throughout as indicated at it} so that liquor drained from the stock can flow through those perforations to collect on the bottom 4 of the tank and be discharged through the outlet 11.

When the washing of the pulp has proceeded to sufiicient extent, by fixedly positioned nozzles within the tank or by other prior art means, it is discharged through the discharge line 12 by the use of further fresh water. Heretofore, a hand operated hose line has been employed for this purpose, a practice which is eliminated and materially improved upon by the apparatus of the invention.

Considering the invention apparatus, the tank 1 of FIG. 1 is seen to be equipped with a pair of flow control and stufiing box members 15 which are of identical construction, though oppositely disposed. As shown in FIG. 3, each of these includes a housing 16 enclosing a flow chamber 17 which chamber communicates with the water inlet 18. The top, or another wall portion of the housing 16 is made removable so that elements within it can be manipulated. The outer end of the inlet 18 is suitably flanged as at 19 for engagement with an appropriate conduit.

A hollow shaft 2% extends up into the chamber 17, is closed at its upper end 21 and has a portion of its side wall within the chamber 17 removed, as seen at 22. This permits water under pressure in the chamber 17 to enter through the opening 22 into the hollow interior of the shaft. The chamber 17 also accommodates a baffle member 23 having a base 24 suitably secured in position within the chamber and a blinder portion 25. The portion 25 has its face surface of the same curvature as the out er surface of the shaft 29. That face surface engages the outer surface of the shaft in throughout the height of the opening 22 and extends throughout the desired arc of the circle of the shaft surface. The blinder section 25 is shitably carried on the base 24 by supports 26.

The shaft 20 passes through the wall member 31} forming the bottom of the chamber 17 and then through suitable stufling box elements 31 and 32 to prevent leakage of water from the chamber 17 down along the side wall of the shaft 20 as the same rotates. The laterally extending base 33 of the housing 16 is suitably supported in desired position above the top 3 of the tank by suitable means such as shouldered stud bolts 34 extending upwardly from a plate 35 mounted on top of the tank.

The shaft 20 also passes through a flange bushing 36 extending upwardly from the cover 3 around the opening 37 in the wall thereof. This provides a side bearing for the shaft. Just above this bushing the shaft 20 carries a pinion 38 suitably keyed thereto and driven by a worm 39. The worm 39 is in turn mounted on, and keyed to, a shaft 30 which shaft is driven by a suitable motor 41 mounted on the tank top 3. Another worm 42 is positioned adjacent the remote end of the shaft 40 for engagement with another pinion 38 identical with the pinion engaged by the worm 39. Inasmuch, however, as contra rotation of the shaft 20 and its counterpart 29a is desired, the worm 42 is formed on a reverse helix with respect to that of the worm 39.

For facilitating assembly, the shafts 20 and 26a are preferably made in parts coupled together at 4-3. The shaft 20 and its identical counterpart Zita extend down through the tank 1 to a position adjacent the strainer plate 5 where theyare received in nozzle housings 45. These housings are equipped with a suitable number of nozzles directed at the lateral angle desired for the particular operation. Here each is shown as equipped with just one directly laterally extending nozzle 46 which communicates with the water chamber inside of their housings 45, which chambers are also in open communication with the interior of their respective shafts 2t and a. The lower part 47 of the housings 45 forms an end thrust member and is suitably seated on the upper surface 48 of a bushing 4-9. This bushing, suitably carried within a spool-like mounting bracket Stl'has a cylindrical opening, therein for the bearing reception of the downwardly projecting bearing pin 51 of the housing 45.

The housing 45 is keyed to the shaft 24 to rotate therewith- Its fluid, chamber being in open communication. with the interior of the shaft 2% enables fluid forced through that shaft under pressure to spray out through the nozzle 46. It is thus apparent that the construction described provides for the rotatable mounting of the. shafts 20 and 20a in and with respect to the tank 1, provides for the introduction of liquid thereinto and the distribution of that liquid through their nozzles 46. At the same time, provision is made for the rotation of the shafts 20 and 20a in opposite direction but preferably :at the same speed; Preferably also the shaft openings should be so registered that the sprays from the opposed. nozzles 46 will sweep around in unison so that they work fully together to sweep the stock toward the outlet12.

FIG. 2 illustrates the purpose and effect of the bafiie member 23 seated in the chamber 17. First, however, it must be appreciated that the water coming in through theinlet 18 must, for effective results,be under'substantialv pressure. Accordingly the water discharged from the nozzles 46 is discharged undersubstantial pressure. When, however, the passages 22 into the shafts 2t) and 20a. are cut. off and closed by the blinder portions 25, the pressure willlikewise be cut off through the extent of the arc of blinders. This will result in there being sectors within the tank 1, as shown at and 50a in FIG. 2, where the streams under pressure will be cut off. These sectors can bepreselected and replaced by others of' different extent of are as may be desired for any particular. purpose, merely by removing the members 23 from the chambers 17 and replacing thernwith others having blinder. elements 25 of different arcuate extent.

Considering now the operation. of the mechanism of theinvention in the .fiushing of pulp stock from a blow pit, the first step is the introduction of the stock into the'tank. This is done-through'the blowline sand the usual practice would be to fill the blow tank to' about two-thirds of its-volume; Following that, the pulp in the tank is.washed by introducing freshwater into the tank. in any suitable manner. This water filters down through the stock, washing the liquor from the stock asvitsgoes and draining out through the perforated bottom. Whenthis has been carried on to a sufiicient ex tent, the water is allowedto-drain off leaving the stock in. the. blow pit without any appreciable amount of free Water... To getit out, it is necessary to use white water to thin it down.v

Inaccordance with the. invention this thinning and sluicing of the: stock from the blow pitis effected mechanically by means. of the:system just described; Water under pressure. is introduced through the inlets 18 into the. chambers 17 from whence it passes into theinterior of hollow shaft 20 andis. emitted from-thenozzles- 46 positioned in the stock adjacent the bottom thereof.

Water under pressure of 360450 p.s.i. has been found effective for moving out the pulp when emitted through housings 45 each equipped with a single horizontally extending nozzle 46.

At the same time that water under pressure is being emitted from the nozzles 46, the shafts 2f) are rotated in contra rotating manner toward each other, in the direction to sweep the pulp from the remote side of the tank toward the outlet 12, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The spray from the nozzles will cut through the stock like a knife and will wash it towards the discharge line 12, as illustrated by the flow pattern at '52 in FIG. 2. This flow pattern will be enhanced by the fact that the spray is blinded off through the sectors 50 and Site due to the action of the blinding member 23. The pressure will thus "be cut off before the spray tends to sweep stock away from the pipe 12. I

Should proper dilution of the stock when discharged from the blow p-it call for more Water than that emitted from the nozzles 46 it can, of course, be provided 'in known manner by the application of fixed nozzles in the tank. If needed to complete the sweeping of stock from the tank, the rotation of the pipes 28 and hence of the nozzles 46 can; of course, be reversed.

Furthermore, in certain installations it is advantageous to position the shafts 29 on a line spaced further away from the outlet 12 than the diameter of the tank on which they are located,-as seen in-FIGZ.

A more compact application of the invention arrangement, and the one preferably to be used when space' is available, is shown in' FIG. 7. Here, instead-ofhaving shafts extending all the way down from the top 3 of the tank and mounting the housings and other mecha nism on top of the tank, comparable elements are mounted beneath the bottom of the tank 4. The housing 16 and elements contained therein are the same as shown and described in FIGS. 3' and 4, so the same reference characters are employed.

Here, however, a short shaft 55 replaces the long shaft 20 of the previous form and merely extends up from the chamber '16 through a suitable liquid tight fit ting 56 applied to the outside of the bottom 4 and through a suitable bushing member 57 into the nozzle housing 58 and into communication in the chamber within the same. This housing as here shown is equipped with a plurality of nozzles 59 and 6t directed at different angles. As here shown the nozzle 60- is directedgenerally horizontally while thenozzle 59 is' directed upwardly atsomewhat of an angle. Under some stock conditions this plurality of nozzles'disposedin this rnanner have a better effect in the flushing of the stock from the tank.

While it has been indicatedthat a: single motor 41 dr iving a shaft 40 to which a pair of worms 39 and 42 are keyed is a satisfactory way of rotating the shafts, it is,- of course, to be understood that the inventionisnot limited thereby. Individual motors-can be employed; ifdesired, and when that is done the preferable arrangement is to position the motors'withtheir shafts parallel to the liquid carrying and nozzle rotating shafts so thatordi-" nary toothed gears may be used for the drive rather than the worm and gear arrangement of FIG. 6. 7

While in the foregoing, certain details of apparatus have been shown and' described for c-arrying the invention into effect, it-isof course to be understood that other mechanisms serving the same purpose may readily sug gest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope oftheinvention.

Speaking more generally it-is to be-understood that since certain changesmaybe-made in the above construe! tion and different embodimentsofthe invention could' be made without departingfromthe scope thereof, it is intendedthatall matter: contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be'interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense,

Having described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In pulp handling apparatus in combination, a tank and a flushing system for discharging pulp from said tank, said tank including a top and a bottom and a strainerbottom in upwardly spaced relation with respect to said tank bottom, means for introducing stock into said tank and an outlet in the side wall of said tank above and closely adjacent to said strainer bottom for the discharge of stock therefrom after washings, said flushing system including a pair of nozzle housings within said tank positioned in spaced relation with respect to each other and with respect to said outlet, nozzle means carried by said housings for spraying liquid therefrom, means mounting said housings on said strainer bottom for rotation thereon, a hollow shaft extending into each of said housings for rotating the same and for introducing flushing liquid thereinto, said shafts extending outwardly through an end of said tank, means engaging the outwardly extending portions of said shafts for rotating the same and said housings in a direction to cause liquid sprayed from said nozzles to flow said stock toward said outlet, chambered housings for the reception of said remote end portions of said shafts, said remote end portions each being formed with an opening in the side walls thereof in communication with the chambers in said chambered housings, means for introducing liquid under pressure into said chambers for introduction through said opening into the hollows of said shafts and means within each of said chambers of said chambered housings formed to overlie the side wall of said shafts including said openings throughout a portion of the curvature of said side wall for closing said opening during the portion of the rotation of said shafts when the flow of said flushing fluid would be directed away from said outlet to cut off the flow of flushing fluid through said shafts during said portion of the rotation thereof.

2. In pulp handling apparatus in combination, a tank and a flushing system for discharging pulp from said tank, said tank including a top and a bottom and a strainer bottom in upwardly spaced relation with respect to said tank bottom, means for introducing stock into said tank and an outlet in the side wall of said tank above and closely adjacent to said strainer bottom for the discharge of stock therefrom after washings, said flushing system including a pair of nozzle housings within said tank positioned in spaced relation with respect to each other and with respect to said outlet, nozzle means carried by said housings for spraying liquid therefrom, means mounting said housings closely adjacent said strainer bottom for rotation thereon, a hollow shaft extending into each of said housings for rotating the same and for introducing flushing liquid thereinto, said shafts extending outwardly through an end of said tank, means engaging the outwardly extending portions of said shafts for rotating the same and said housings in a direction to cause liquid sprayed from said nozzles to flow said stock toward said outlet, chambered housings for the reception of said remote end portions of said shafts, said remote end portions being formed with openings in the side walls thereof in communication with the chambers in said chambered housings, means for introducing liquid under pressure into said chambers for introduction through said opening into the hollows of said shafts and means within each chamber of said chambered housings formed to cut off flow of liquid into said shafts through said openings during the portion of the rotation of said shafts when the flow of said flushing fluid from said nozzle means would be directed away from said outlet.

3. In pulp handling apparatus in combination, a tank and a flushing system for discharging pulp from said tank, said tank including a top and a bottom and a strainer bottom in upwardly spaced relation with respect to said tank bottom, means for introducing stock into said tank and an outlet in the side wall of said tank above and closely adjacent to said strainer bottom for the discharge of stock therefrom after washings, said flushing system including nozzle housing means within said tank positioned in spaced relation with respect to said outlet, nozzle means carried by said housing means for spraying liquid therefrom, means mounting said housing means closely adjacent said strainer bottom for rotation thereon, a shallow shaft extending into each of said housing means for rotating the same and for introducing flushing liquid thereinto, said shafts extending outwardly through an end of said tank, means engaging the outwardly extending portions of said shafts for rotating the same and said housing means in a direction to cause liquid sprayed from said nozzle means to flow said stock toward said outlet, chambered housing means for the reception of said remote end portions of said shafts, said remote end portions each being formed with an opening in the side walls thereof in communication with the interior of said chambered housing means, means for introducing liquid under pressure into said interior for introduction through said opening into the hollows of said shafts and means within said interior formed to cut off flow of liquid into said shafts through said openings during the portion of the rotation of said shafts when the flow of said flushing fluid from said nozzle means would be directed away from said outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 850,384 Mallam Apr. 16, 1907 1,465,337 Bowers Aug. 23, 1923 2,596,693 Karlstrom May 13, 1952 2,729,504 Zukas Ian. 3, 1956 2,745,274 Rich May 15, 1956 2,745,743 Knopf May 15, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 30,795 Norway June 7, 1920 217,130 Great Britain June 12, 1924 

